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About Sherry Sommer

I grew up in southeast Denver and have lived in Boulder County (first Boulder and now Louisville) for 33 years. Colorado has changed a lot in the past 60 years, (surprise!) but many constants make this place home: Gorgeous and ever changing clouds, bright blue and wide open skies, trees and gardens flourishing in a dry climate, family roots, South Church... I've certainly changed over the years, and am thankful beyond words for the the ever present and faithful love of God, no matter what the circumstances. The months beginning in January, 2022, were quite a challenge: Caring for my father, Sam Masoudi, dealing with the aftermath of the Marshall Fire, and community engagement kept me fully alert and working! Now, with the passing of my father and an empty nest, I'm in a new phase of life. I'm eagerly anticipating the challenges and surprises I know will be in store! Being on the devotional team has added so my to my life and I look forward to writing and learning more and more.

Trusting God’s Provision – the Best Way to Live

by Sherry Sommer

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and money.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body,
what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:24-26

I love how Aaron took Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and described how differently those needs are met by the world’s system of economics versus God’s kingdom. In the world’s system, individuals are responsible for providing for themselves. In God’s kingdom, we can trust that God will provide.  We don’t need
to fear, even though the world is complicated and there are so many things that we can’t control. We can know God will take care of us. God’s  provision is a reminder of his presence.  I have lived according to the world system of economics as well as God’s system. God’s system, hands down, has been the most stable and fulfilling way to live.

I grew up in an industrious family, and I went to schools where the world’s view of economics was dominant. I remember finding it strange that the wealthiest people seemed haunted by concerns about maintaining their family’s place in the social and economic hierarchy.  My childhood was spent wondering how anyone could spend time slaving and worrying when…well, just look around!  The world was so magical.  I believed that God would provide and that the Holy Spirit would guide me. 

When I graduated from college, Colorado was in a recession, and I started to panic and to question my childhood beliefs. Those voices alerting me to adopt the world’s economic system were loud and overwhelming. Although I was a Christian, I spent too much of my young adult  years wavering between trusting God and relying on my own effort. This was definitely not a good way to live. On the positive side, making a lot of mistakes gave me plenty of opportunities to learn.

Jesus told us not to be afraid, because we can trust him

Life is, by nature, something we can’t control. This is scary for everyone  — those who live in the world economic system and those who live by the kingdom values. My experience has been  that living by the world’s system is painful, unpredictable, and exhausting. When I give my concerns to God, asking him for help, I can be calm and peaceful. The world is still unpredictable, but Jesus has given me resilience and confidence because I know he will never leave me, and that he can be trusted. 

Listen to the Holy Spirit as a way of life

The Holy Spirit is an essential guide to living in God’s economy. This doesn’t mean constantly asking if every last little decision can be confirmed by the Spirit.  God wants us to make decisions based on our own thoughts and sense. This means we need to tune out the voices that tell us we are not enough for the task or that God has abandoned us. It means meditating on his word and praying as a way of life. 

I have found that I make the best decisions when I am calm and sensitive to the Spirit, and when I’m reflective and peaceful, and not in problem solving mode.  Here’s one example:  In 2011 we lived in Boulder, and Louisville seemed like a much better place to raise children. This move seemed impossible financially but I spent time resting in God, meditating on his word and praying. In the meantime, I also worked hard to make our house in Boulder a good home for my children.  After many months, I felt prompted to try again to find a house in Louisville.  As it turned out, the timing was excellent.  The market suddenly shifted and prices went up several thousand dollars.  I am so thankful for God’s provision: Moving greatly improved our lives  because we  found a more suitable home because our faith grew.

Trusting God’s economy can encourage others

Trusting God can help others who witness how God’s economy works. Remembering back to my studies in Paris, I met a wonderful Christian training to be a missionary.  She loved music, and prayed that God would provide an apartment where she could enjoy it. I admit  to doubting her prayers would be answered. Well, within a short time she had located two wonderful possibilities — one that had a beautiful piano, and one with a stereo and collection of classical music records. It’s so sweet to remember her and God’s provision in her life as she was seeking His kingdom. 

 Praying for what we need gives us opportunities to be surprised and to thank God

I always tell my children, when we ask God to provide, we have someone to thank, and that  is wonderful in itself.  When my son was four, we had very little money and needed some basic necessities. I made a list of what we needed and asked Samuel if he’d pray with me that God would provide. Within a short time, we were surprised and delighted by the way God answered all of our prayers.  If we had been able to go to the store and buy what we needed, we wouldn’t have stories to remember together. If we had enough money, we wouldn’t have had the joy of thanking God for his provision.

Thank you God, for providing what we need when we trust you. 

Better    https://youtu.be/cgpvCVkrV6M?feature=shared

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

Trusting God’s Provision – the Best Way to Live2024-03-24T19:24:26-06:00

Freedom 

by Sherry Sommer


When my father, a native of Shiraz, Iran,
* passed away a year ago, he left me some Persian carpets made of wool.  The carpets are beautifully and intricately designed, and each of the countless knots they’re made of is individually tied by hand. These works of art took years to create, and It’s important to be vigilant and to take care that moths don’t destroy them.  On the anniversary of my father’s birthday,  I put the carpets outside to vacuum and refresh them in the sun. Because my father loved to work and take care of things, it felt fitting to remember him in this way.  As I worked, I thought about these verses:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 NIV 

While I worked, I thought about how our possessions can be treasured but that they may decay slowly or be gone in an instant.  I saw this very graphically during the Marshall Fire in Louisville when 500 homes were burned to ashes. 

Cleaning carpets brought Jesus’ point home to me in a graphic way. We need to keep in mind that accumulating possessions comes with a price.  One reason I  enjoyed my work that sunny day was that I don’t have too many rugs to care for.  My task was manageable and was a joy, not a burden. I love how Proverbs describes “enough” as being between wealth and poverty:  

“Two things I ask of you, LORD;
    do not refuse me before I die:

 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
    give me neither poverty nor riches,
    but give me only my daily bread.

 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
    and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’

Or I may become poor and steal,
    and so dishonor the name of my God.” Proverbs 30:7-9

Jesus isn’t prescribing the amount of possessions we need. He’s not saying that we make sure to get by with the very barest minimum to live. However,  possessions do become a distraction when we have more than we can use and can take care of. They can make us forget that we can only be secure to the extent that we trust in God alone.

I love that Jesus came to provide freedom. He is using a strong warning about possessions, not because he doesn’t want us to enjoy them, but because he loves us. He knows how easily people turn away from loving God and turn instead to things for security and satisfaction. He wants to provide for us, and wants us to remember that he is completely able to do so. In fact, as much as I treasure the gifts my father gave me, my life has been shaped much more by Heavenly Father’s consistent provision. I’ve rarely ever shopped for new clothing. God has provided what I’ve needed very inexpensively or for free. I enjoy what I have because I didn’t have to slave away to pay for expensive items. I wouldn’t lose too much if it was taken away (although I would be sad)!  When I get dressed, I am reminded of God’s constant provision. 

My favorite verses in the Bible  (Matthew 11:20-30,) describe the “unforced rhythms of grace” that Jesus promises we can walk in with him:

“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.  For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.  But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”  Luke 12:27-31

This is the freedom Jesus wants for us. Let’s pray that we as a body can live in this freedom. 

* Note: In 1959, the year my father immigrated from his country, Its ancient name of Persia was changed to Iran.  


Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

Freedom 2024-03-16T10:42:24-06:00

Fasting, Transformation and Justice 

Sherry Sommer

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:16-17 (NIV)

Jesus talks about fasting as he does about giving and praying. He says “when you…”  He could say “when you fast” to his audience because it was a normal discipline in the ancient Jewish world. It’s not clear that fasting is required for modern day followers of  Jesus, and fasting is foreign to many of us, including me.  We can make Jesus’  teaching on fasting relevant to our situation by interpreting it as reinforcement, not to make a show of religious practices. However, there is another way to unpack his teaching.

Even though fasting was a customary practice for Jews in Jesus’ time, they lacked a full  understanding of it.  Apparently, the prevailing norm was abstaining from food while making a dramatic show of piety.  If we look at the book of Isaiah, we can see that this was not a new problem for the Jews. In Isaiah, the prophet criticizes shallow and transactional interpretations of fasting that sounded like:  “God, we will fast and you will reward us. What? We have fasted…why aren’t you rewarding us?” Isaiah points out that the sacrifices the Jews of that time were making didn’t address their heart issues. They thought they could fast  while mistreating their workers and fighting. Isaiah makes it clear that God could not be manipulated into producing blessings. He wanted transformed hearts and a people who cared for others.  

The prophet proposes that his audience fast, not just from food, but from being self centered and self absorbed. He asks that people work toward justice in their communities and to refrain from being judgemental and aimless. Properly practiced, Isaiah says fasting is not about being self focused at all.  It’s about saying no to something that we normally rely on, in order to realign our values.  Jesus’ way is to remember to care not only for our own needs but for the needs of others. 


Application

I’ve  been trying intermittent fasting in this season — which is eating during an eight hour window. I’ve found that it has helped declutter my days — with less time spent thinking about, preparing, and cleaning up after meals! I’m also trying to compress my screen time. This frees up so much time and brain power when I stick with it! 

Today I was reminded of Revelation 3:20: 

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person,
and
they with me.

Perhaps if we take the time to fast from food or other things we normally rely on, we can be freed up to hear Jesus. We can be refreshed and transformed by sharing the meal he provides.  

Pray about what God might teach you about fasting during this season of Lent. 

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
    Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
    and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
For day after day they seek me out;
    they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
    and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
    and seem eager for God to come near them.
‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
    ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
    and you have not noticed?’

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
    and exploit all your workers.
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
    and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
    and expect your voice to be heard on high.
Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the LORD?”

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness] will go before you,
    and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: ‘Here am I.'”

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
    and the LORD’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
    and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the LORD,
    and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
    and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 58

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

Fasting, Transformation and Justice 2024-03-10T14:31:16-06:00

Forgiveness as a Way of life

by Sherry Sommer

Last week our devotional team talked about what Jesus says about forgiveness. 

Aaron compared people to unbalanced scales — a depiction that is simple and yet very accurate. The Bible teaches that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. That falling short means that we will all be hurt by others and hurt others. We long for justice, but there’s so much we don’t see or understand in ourselves and in the world around us. Without God’s help forgiveness isn’t possible. 

Jesus has high standards for forgiveness; he says we can’t hold anything against  anyone. Without God’s help, forgiveness may seem foolish to us. We might instinctively want to extract vengeance or sacrificially to carry the weight of our hurt.  We may even feel that being unforgiving will make the scales of our hearts or the hearts of others more balanced. Jesus is telling us to do the opposite of what our instincts tell us. We need to forgive everyone we might hold a grudge against: 

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Mark 11:25

To achieve forgiveness is far beyond human comprehension.  For a long time, it was really difficult for me even to understand what forgiveness was. I knew what it wasn’t — it wasn’t minimizing or enabling sin, or brushing it under the rug. My son once defined it as “Not letting how you’ve been sinned against dominate your thoughts or making it everyone else’s business.”  That seems reasonable.  Kathleen Petersen had a helpful insight in our meeting — she pointed out that Matthew 6:12 describes sin as a debt: 

 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12

That helped me visualize more what needs to happen when I forgive — I need to recognize that sin creates a real debt, which for us, walking in “The Way of Jesus”, implies that it’s not up to us to collect. Only Jesus is able to cover that debt. He reconciles us to himself and he works to transform hearts. He works for good even in bad circumstances. Only he has the perfect judgment and power to do this work..   

Jesus says that, to the extent that we forgive, he is able to forgive us. He is asking us to forgive as a way of life, not just as one time actions. The forgiveness Jesus asks for is not simple. It is not something we can do by willpower or by following a technique. I do know that what Jesus commands us to do, he will make it possible.

 Jesus tells us to pray,  “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” This is not a scattershot or individualist prayer. He tells us to forgive as an entire community of believers. Let’s pray for the insight and dependence on Jesus we need, so that we can be a people who forgive continually and well. 

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

Forgiveness as a Way of life2024-02-25T18:10:43-07:00

Bringing Heaven to Earth

by Sherry Sommer

 

Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. . Matthew 6:10b NIV

 

Do what’s best—as above, so below. Matthew 6:10b  The Message

 

Jesus teaches us to pray that his will be “done on earth as it is in heaven”.  God wants  earth to be a mirror of heaven, albeit imperfect for now. He wants us to pray with this end in mind and for us to be partners in this work.    

This idea of bringing God’s kingdom can be used to justify oppression, destruction, violence, unjust laws, and oppression.  We can see this in history, and we can see it  today.  Jesus is not telling his disciples to use force or to create theocracies in his name. We need to use his ways  to partner with him in kingdom-bringing.  

Transformed lives

In order to bring God’s kingdom to earth, we need to start by being  transformed by him. This  process of transformation makes us more like Jesus, and more the person God created us to be.  As Paul says, when we are transformed by the Holy Spirit, we will better understand God’s will. 

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 NIV

Show up!

God’s fingerprints are on every one of us; He created us intending that each of us make their own unique contributions to bring his kingdom to earth. Each one of us has unique gifts and spheres of influence. Paul reminds us to show up as servants of God: 

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, Colossians 3:23 NIV


I also like this quote by Martin Luther: 

What else is all our work to God—whether in the fields, in the garden, in the city, in the house, in war, or in government—but just such a child’s performance, by which He wants to give His gifts in the fields, at home, and everywhere else? These are the masks of God, behind which He wants to remain concealed and do all things.

I like how Paul says “Whatever you do”.  My children attended an elementary school that prided itself on the education it delivered. Interestingly, the most beloved adults in the school were the janitorial staff and a woman who served lunch.  Pearline would always say a friendly hello to Samuel as she served him lunch, so he considered her a friend and ally. While a school would not think to advertise the excellence of their  support staff, these were the people who really connected with the kids and made a difference in the school climate.

Do everything in love:

 God is love and bringing his kingdom to earth needs to reflect his love:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

 

God owns everything; he can accomplish anything; and, he will bind all wounds in his time. We don’t need to take the reins to try to get things done for him in our own strength. 

Let’s  pray that we will listen to the Holy Spirit’s promptings as we partner with God in bringing his kingdom to earth to honor him.  

 

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

Bringing Heaven to Earth2024-02-10T13:03:25-07:00

Childlike Faith and Prayer

by Sherry Sommer

 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  Matthew 6:6 NIV

Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.  Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do “ All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  Matthew 11:25-27 NIV

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples to keep their prayer life private and to have one-on-one conversations in a room with God. Later in Matthew, he tells them to be like little children as they seek God’s wisdom and direction.  Jesus’ instruction in the Sermon on the Mount has seemed distant to me. What did he mean about going to our room?  I often pray during the day, but the idea of going to my room to pray seemed odd.

Jesus’ words came to life when I read these two passages while writing this devotional.  I realized that I had practiced Jesus’ instructions when I was a child.
I’d often read my Bible and pray in a small room in our basement.  It was cool and quiet in the summer and one of the few private spaces in our crowded house. No one told me to read my Bible, and it never felt like something I “should” do. No one knew how I was spending my time.  Reading the Bible and talking to God felt meaningful and natural to me.  I’d get comfortable in the rickety twin bed, probably propping one skinny, sunbrowned leg against the other.  The Proverbs stood out to me, especially what they taught about wisdom:

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get  wisdom
Though it costs all you have,  get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

Since the Bible said wisdom was the most important thing, I’d pray for wisdom and trust that God would answer my prayers. As I remember my past, God is helping me understand what Jesus says about prayer in Matthew. 

Pray like a child

In order to be spiritually healthy, Jesus says that we need to preserve something of who we were as children.  We learn and grow through age and experience, which is good and necessary.  At the same time, we can lose something that’s very valuable,  a childlike attitude. Children can have unquestioning confidence that God loves them, that they can trust him, and that he is able to do all that he says. Children know they can’t figure out life on their own, that they must depend on God who is able and willing to help. 

It’s important to discern how the past can help us. We just had a series on emotional health; in order to be emotionally healthy, we shouldn’t want to live in or dwell on the past; as Paul says, “leave childish ways behind”.  Even if our childhoods were cut short or were unhealthy, we can pray that God would remind us of what it was like to have a trusting and childlike attitude. He can renew us and heal us so we can come to him today with that kind of trust and confidence.  

Find a  place and  time to pray

When I read this passage from the Sermon on the Mount literally, as an adult,  I had trouble understanding it. When Jesus told his disciples to go to their room to pray privately, he wasn’t saying, “Go to your room!”, like children are often told to do. He wasn’t telling them the only place they could pray was their room. While a room can be a place where we are sent to be isolated from others, I believe Jesus is talking about something different.   Remembering myself praying in the cool basement room, I think Jesus is saying, find a place to pray where you feel comfortable and can focus on communicating with God. 

Whatever your situation, find a place where you’ll have an uninterrupted time, where the surroundings allow you to have a conversation with your Father.
Who knows, maybe that’s a quiet spot at your local library or coffee shop, or someplace you like to walk.  It could be during a commute by bus or in a break room at work.  Maybe it’s a place in your home.  In winter, I pray at home in a quiet room where I can look out a window and sit in a favorite chair.  In summer, I like to pray in my garden or when out on a walk. Find a place where you can naturally engage in prayer. Shake off any pressure you might feel that you “should” find a time and place to pray.

God provides the reward

We live in a world that’s results oriented, where we are taught that we need to create achievable goals and have a plan to work toward them.
Jesus’ teaching is different. 

Prayer is conversation with a God who is right beside us and in us. We may pray and pray without seeing the responses we asked for in our requests. I love what Tim Keller said – ”God answers the prayers we would have prayed if we knew all he does.”  We may want the reward he promises to be what we have in mind, but we ask with limited understanding.  

When we pray, the reward is spending time with God, getting to know him, and allowing him to guide and transform us. As far as specific answers to prayer, those are in God’s hands, and we know that “no good thing does he withhold”, Psalm 8:11. Let’s ask him for help so we can come to him in prayer as beloved children, trusting him for the outcomes.

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

Childlike Faith and Prayer2024-02-03T18:07:27-07:00

Work in Progress!

by Sherry Sommer

Just out of college,  I worked as a church receptionist at an historic church in Boston. The lead pastor was  a kind man who would sometimes stop to chat. After a counseling session one day, he mused: “The issues people talk to me about are rarely their real issues.”  This seemed profound and intriguing, but I didn’t have enough life experience to understand what he meant. At the time, I didn’t know how much he described my situation.  God has been so good over the years helping me understand how my distorted ideas about myself, and about Him, are the real issues I had to understand. Pondering the pastor’s word and seeing how they apply to my life has been  like observing sculpture emerging from a block of marble. 

These verses from Matthew 11 get right to the heart of how Jesus can help us understand the root problems of our lack of rest and satisfaction:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 The Message 


Because we  don’t feel adequate, we compensate by working hard.

We talk about burnout and weariness as a modern phenomenon, but it isn’t. Jesus is speaking to an audience that is weary and worn out. Perhaps they were worried about keeping food on the table. Maybe they didn’t have children, which  was one of the most significant achievements in that culture.  We don’t really know their frustrations. 

Just out of college, I felt inadequate because I had  graduated with honors but hadn’t found a job that really fit me. I felt so ashamed of myself that I had moved to Boston on a whim, hoping something would work out. Actually my life had only become harder and more miserable.  I disliked the city, had few friends, and couldn’t  find a job that was a good fit.   All my efforts to compensate had left me empty, afraid, and I became more and more consumed with self doubt.


 Jesus  doesn’t want  employees, He wants  friends.

 Unlike other people, or ourselves,  Jesus doesn’t want us to prove ourselves. He wants  to spend time with us and  to teach us.  It can be difficult to visualize this. Imagine someone you really liked and admired saying, “Let’s take a walk today, what do you say? We can have a good conversation. I’m working on a project and I think you’d be really good at it –– want to work on it together?  My first thought would be, “That’s a definite yes!”  This is what Jesus is inviting us to.  

 At the stage in life I was in after graduating, I had trouble trusting that Jesus was able and willing to  help me.   Rather than walking with Jesus.  I was just trying to keep all the rules with the hope that I’d eventually get to solid ground. My efforts were as useful as  treading water in circles.  It took me a long time to realize that the choices I had made and the circumstances I was in were not my actual problem. Working hard without trusting God’s guidance was my problem.


When we walk with Jesus, we can do the work that we were made to do and get the rest we require.

We talk about having a “work-life balance” and “finding meaningful work”. We live in a society that is unimaginably more prosperous than that of Jesus’ day, so we have the luxury to  have these expectations. However, people in Jesus’ time also wanted meaningful work that left time for rest and enjoyment. 

I had been raised to believe that I needed to work constantly and intensely to avoid poverty. I was taught to do whatever it took to survive. Finding a meaningful job and being able to take time to  rest seemed like luxuries I could not enjoy. I was like a feral animal, always trying to avoid danger and to survive. Trusting Jesus intermittently, I’d   think –– ”I haven’t kept up my guard!” when I hit a rough patch. Then I’d  revert to my anxious and insecure ways.

 Thank God He has taught me over the years to trust Him both in good and difficult times.  I have been able to find meaningful work. I live in Louisville, a town I love, and I have good friends. It’s an honor to  be  part of the South community.  Jesus has turned my anxious and scrappy approach to life into resourcefulness and trust, and He has provided for all my needs. With Jesus I can work and rest knowing that He keeps watch and is able to guide and protect.  Thank you, Jesus. 

“Turn Around” by Matt Maher just popped up in my playlist. What a perfect song for this devotional! I hope you get a minute to listen to it.

Work in Progress!2024-01-18T10:09:14-07:00

Identity Grounded in Whose We Are

“This is a David and Goliath situation!” I heard this often during Louisville Colorado’s 2022 special election campaign. The tone was always apprehensive. An investment firm had purchased a 400 acre parcel in Louisville with  the  goal of  making as much money as possible.  After our council approved a sprawling and destructive development, I organized a referendum petition to challenge the decision. Getting those signatures meant that we would have a citywide vote to approve or deny the council’s decision. 

I had never run a campaign, but volunteered  because no one else wanted the job. Also, the Mayor and a council member promised to support me. Their help never materialized as I was put in charge the same morning the “Marshall Fire” occurred. The city  had to devote all their time for the next several months to fire recovery. 

The David and Goliath story seemed like a good way to describe our situation, especially when the developer invested $96,000.00 in their campaign and we had $3,000.00. When people started to worry, I’d always respond: “Every day’s a good day to be David! I’d sure hate to be Goliath right now!” I’d remind them that “David and Goliath” was an important cultural reference because It was different from what normally happens — rather than getting beaten, the underdog had triumphed.

It’s really interesting to look at how David saw himself and how he had the faith to stand up to Goliath. Our group leaned into our challenge in a very similar way.

  • David was the youngest of several brothers. Even his own family disrespected him  because of his youth and inexperience. Nevertheless, he had the confidence and courage to speak up and to challenge Goliath, He didn’t let others’  judgements make him doubt his abilities and mission.  

When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?”  He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
I Samuel 17: 28-33

  • Being a shepherd was a low status job, but David excelled at his work, and it was quite dangerous and difficult. He had certainty that God had used the work he had been doing to prepare him for this moment and that his work was a calling from God:

But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,  I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.  Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”  I Samuel 17:34-37

  • David trusted God to help him and did not rely on the armor that warriors customarily used.  He had the confidence that the Lord had been with him in other dangerous situations and that the tools he needed to win came from God, not what men normally thought of as strong protection:

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.  I Samuel 17: 38-40

Re-reading the David and Goliath story a couple of years after we won that special election has been really helpful. I’m thinking how our victory depended on trusting God to provide a path for us  and how we ran our best race without worrying about how powerful the other campaign was or how we lacked experience. 

I really like what Alex said in his last message: “Who you are and what you are depends on whose you are.”  May we all pray for strong  grounding of our identities in “whose” we are this year in whatever challenges we face. 

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Identity Grounded in Whose We Are2024-01-10T14:18:13-07:00

Make Our Ways Straight

God makes our ways straight when we bless those who curse us.

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Luke 6:27-28

Kathleen Petersen, in her typically good natured and down to earth way, filled me in on my devotional writing assignment. Aaron was preaching on blessings and cursings based on Deuteronomy 28-30. God was giving the people of Israel the choice of blessings or cursings.  Blessings depended on obedience, so his requirements were not too hard to achieve. Then, Kathleen threw a curve ball — Jesus flipped the script on blessings and cursings.  He asked his followers to bless those who cursed them.

Cue deep resentment and a heavy sigh 

As a child I had been taught to not fight back when people hurt me — to absorb cruel words and attitudes. I was all for loving my neighbor, but I’d had enough of being a doormat. To twist the knife, I’d been dreading a meeting that very afternoon with someone I’ve  done a lot of volunteering with. On the positive side, she was Intelligent and passionate and had with a high-powered career, plenty of know-how. However a sharp tongue, a critical attitude, and sense of entitlement made me want to avoid working with her. At the moment, healthy boundaries and protecting myself seemed a lot more sane than meeting for coffee and working out what being a blessing to someone who seemed intent on making my life miserable would look like. Fortunately, Kathleen is a good friend and prayed for our meeting without judgment.

After some small talk at a local coffee shop, our conversation took a turn that I can only attribute to the Holy Spirit. Rather than asking me to absorb or ignore her unkindness, I felt the Holy Spirit was asking me to lead the conversation toward reciprocity. I had mentally prepared some talking points, but they came out much differently than what I had expected to share. . 

Instead of saying “I’m feeling frustrated that you’ve been expecting me to be available at all times including last week when i was driving on the highway and didn’t have time to respond to your demands” I said “I really appreciate the drive and passion you give to this project. And I also appreciate that you set boundaries around your time.  We’re all volunteers and this project is very stressful.  I’m learning from you that I also need to set  boundaries around my time. It’s great that we can have the reciprocal understanding that we will respect other’s needs for time to ourselves.”

Instead of saying, “We are an all volunteer organization and I’m not your help desk or administrative assistant. We are each the help desk.” I said, “The strength of being in an all volunteer organization is that each has the flexibility to problem solve and learn new skills, which keeps work flowing without having to go through a lot of bureaucratic channels. What we are doing isn’t perfect, but we are all learning a lot and becoming stronger and more resourceful all the time!”

We covered a number of topics in the same way; in what could have been a very uncomfortable conversation turned out to be very positive. Each and every one hinged on the topic of reciprocity and keeping mutual respect at the center of our working relationship.  I hadn’t absorbed the extra work she had been hoping to delegate to me and I hadn’t made her feel entitled or rude either. Somehow the Holy Spirit set healthy boundaries for a fair and neutral playing field that straightened out unhealthy patterns of behavior we kept veering toward.  He allowed our conversation to be focused on the truth that we each needed to be carrying our own load. Grace made the message go down in a palatable way. Thank God for his guidance and help in a situation that I didn’t have the wisdom or patience to take on by myself. 

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Make Our Ways Straight2024-01-01T09:09:10-07:00

“The Person We Are Becoming”

Deuteronomy 30

When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,  then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.  Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back.  He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors.  The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.  The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today.  Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, If you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

The Offer of Life or Death

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.  It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life,and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30: 1-20

I have always loved this passage. It’s simple in a true and beautiful way, like a perfectly symmetrical and contemplated work of art. It feels rock solid, a promise that God won’t back down from, and enduring, the certainty that multiplicity of small choices over days and years will result in a generational blessing. 

Imagine my surprise when realizing, just now, that I hadn’t really understood this passage at all. I had completely missed the choice God was giving to his people. All the aspects I loved about the passage remained — the simplicity, the rock solid certainly, the endurance and promise.

There was one glaring issue that had somehow escaped me entirely — what God was actually asking his people to do. Somehow I had taken the ideas of the Ten Commandments and blessings and cursings, mixed them around in my mind and had come up with what was a toxic concoction for my spiritual health. It went something like this — God wants his people to be blessings to their neighbors — being a blessing takes a lot of effort and vigilance in noticing who around us is in need of a blessing. I had bought myself into a joyless, unachievable doctrine of works that was making me a worn out wreck and most likely a source of puzzlement to the recipients of my “blessings”.

Reading the passage tonight was a complete and wonderful revelation — God isn’t asking us to be blessing machines. He’s asking His people to have no other gods before Him, that we love him out of the deepest and most sincere parts of our hearts.  What an epiphany! 

My absolute favorite thing that Alex often preaches goes something like, “The greatest gift we can give another is the person we are becoming.” That beautifully separates us from the idea that we have to work or perform or sacrifice who we truly are in order to please God and to love our neighbors. Obedience, rather than being a chore, leads to happiness and deep joy. As we rid ourselves of the idols that weigh us down and enslave us, we can fall deeper in love with God. We show up more sparkly and vibrant as that love washes through us and over us, and we can be a blessing to our neighbors.

I’m going to be doing a lot of reflection on this epiphany in 2024. It won’t be a resolution, because that would defeat the whole purpose of this new way of seeing. I think I’ll make it more into a prayer: Surprise me God! Surprise me with all the ways depriving idols of oxygen and encouragement can transform my life.  

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

“The Person We Are Becoming”2024-01-01T17:17:10-07:00
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